Ed Exley
Referenced in *L.A. Confidential *White Jazz History L.A. Confidential Watching his, dad, Preston Exley, unveil his plan for Dream-a-Dreamland, Ed speaks with his dad's assistant, Art De Spain and tells him he didn't know his dad knew Raymond Dieterling, a the king of animation and asks if they met during the Atherton case and, to which he says no. As they speak Timmy Valburn, who plays Moochie Mouse, and Billy Dieterling, his boyfriend socialize. As Ed and Art keep talking Ed speaks about his ambitions to be in the Detectives Bureau to which Art and his dad disagree. As they continue to talk Ed gets a call telling him things have gotten out of control at Central Station. Locked up by Bud so as not to break up the fight, Ed starts writing a number of versions of what happened. One being implicating only the ones pensions have been secured and Bud. Asking his father for advise as to which deposition to use to present to William Parker his father tells him to use which one that'll help him most. We also learn of his doctored war record to get the Distinguished Service Cross and he thinks that he's always looked for opportunities. As the Bloody Christmas investigation continues Ed tells Chief Parker, Loew, and Dudley he'll testify against the perpetrators and thinks Dick Stensland and Bud White in particular should serve time. In return he hopes to get transferred to a detective squad room. Jack is shocked Ed's the witness and asks him what he's getting out of it. Admitting he's getting something out of it as well Jack tells him to fix his suit or he'll look like a rube. Ed's testimony results in a number of suspensions and results in sending Dick Stensland to prison. In his 1953 progress report his commanding officer writes that while Ed is a good writer of reports and interrogations, he is disliked and as a result despite his accomplishments on his lieutenants test he should not be promoted. Ed goes over police reports while others celebrate a retirement party, one a group of black youths in purple car shooting off guns. When he decides to leave he's beat up by Dick Stensland and Bud, and vows revenge. While doing more writing of reports he notices one of black youths shooting off shotguns in a purple car he doesn't give it much heed. While thinking of how he'll get back at Stensland, a call comes in informing him of murders at the Night Owl Coffee Shop. Going to the scene he finds that six people were killed but before he can take control Dudley comes and relieves him. As the police force enters the room to be briefed Dudley describes the crime scene. Afterward Thad Green tells everyone Ed will be running the investigation, to raucous boohs. Ed questions the three black men taken in as suspects in the Night Owl Massacre, playing them off against each other, but when Bud hears a woman was raped he bursts in the room and threatens the man being interrogated, getting a location he leaves both the man and Ed in fear. Parker tells Ed he and Bud will work together. When Ed posits that Coates' car might have been planted Parker dismisses the idea. Ed goes to visit Inez Soto for help on getting IDs but has no luck. Ed and Ray Pinker go over the specifics of the crime scene and Pinker says the victims probably didn't know each other. Ed puts out the theory that one or more of the killers knew one or more of the victims. After deciding to search Griffith Park for the shotgun shells the following day they find them. Thinking about his plan for Stens he's planned, he goes over what he's set up, for him to be followed and when he was seen with known criminals he'd be arrested. Going to see Inez, he still hopes to get her help but doesn't have much luck. Seeing as how he has a cabin at Arrowhead he says she can stay there. (24) He takes her to the Dream-a-Dreamland opening where she meets Ray Dieterling who offers her a job. Says she won't help, he beats up Stens (26) Ed gets the call on the shooting at Patchett's. At a meeting with Loew among others they tell him to lean on Inez and he'll get a promotion. (29) At a meeting Jake Kellerman, representing the Engleking brothers reads their statement where they say Cathcart was interested in their printing company to do his smut. They finger Mickey Cohen for the job and Ed and Bob Gallaudet are sent to see him. (31) Ed goes to question Mickey who says he had no interest in the smut books but the Englekings dad was a chemist who could make synthetic heroin. 34) Russ tells Ed that Dudley and Bud are going the following day to beat confessions out of the men. After the calls ends him and Inez get in an argument over how she wants justice, for them to feel pain. (37) Ed finds Coates et al and kills them. Millard dies. (39) At Russ's funeral Ed is awarded the medal of valor and made a captain. (40). Bud doesn't care. In 1957 Art De Spain writes to Bill Parker that Ed has become popular and, on his appointment to run Internal Affairs, should do well. Bob tells Ed's he been cleared to go to IA but has bad news, Inez has been on him with Bud. When he confronts her she tells him the Nite Owl wasn't done by the men he killed. (42) Ed takes over IAD and comes upon the smut lead and starts thinking about Jack's leads and behavior when Sid got killed. (45) Parker tells Ed they have 12 days to wrap up the Nite Owl. (48) Ed questions Lynn and when she doesn't react to the pentothal remembers Patchett had a chem background and thinks the smut books resemble Atherton case, confronts his dad is brushed off (54) Ed drives Lynn home and questions her about Pierce Patchett and Jack's deposition. The questioning doesn't provide much & they have sex. (57) Ed asks Inez to check to Ray Dieterling's coonections to his dad, hoping not to hurt him. Jack comes back from McNeil and Ed tells him to get info from Patchett by any means. (60) Ed questions Patchett delivery men and finds out Patchett was connected to a Man who wanted to move porn and heroin. (62) Having told Lynn to go to Arrowhead, they have sex and he thinks about his past and the case thus far. (64) Ed, Jack, and Bud collect their evidence and decide to go after Dudley. (69) Ed finds Billy Dieterling and Jerry Marsalas dead and remembers all the things said by Lux & Dieterling and finds it to be David Mertens who did it and the Hudgens murder. He was also involved in the smut and Marsalas was behind it. 72) Due to a booby trapped safe Ed finds a destroyed PP house and his money and drugs. He finds Mertens and takes him to Lux's to be kept under lock and key.Finds out about Jack, Bud. (76) Ed blackmails Loew into resigning since he didn't help Bud. because he had Sid's files. (77) Ed finds all about David Mertens and how he killed WWWW. Also how Art killed the Engleklings and he was going to arrest his dad for Paul D's death. Bud is in bad shape. (77) Ed says goodbye to Lynn and Bud after his promotion, tells he'll get Dud. (78) Category:Characters from L.A. Confidential Category:Characters from White Jazz